Jesus, Jesus, only Jesus
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Who or what does your hope of heaven depend on?
That might seem like a ridiculous question as you would likely want to blurt out “Jesus is my sure and certain hope of heaven.” Before you answer so quickly, ponder at least your thoughts and actions and see if you always place your hope of heaven and forgiveness solely on Jesus.
Do you ever think that your actions are better than others and that someway, somehow they should count for something?
Do you every find yourself working really hard at something, hoping that others will notice and you will be recognized and perhaps even rewarded for what you do?
Those are just a few examples, but hopefully you get the idea. Anytime we place any confidence in our own actions, we are placing our works ahead of the work of Jesus and telling Jesus “No thank you, I can do it on my own.” Looking at things that way might seem rather harsh and at the very least, humbling. Even some of those who played a rather prominent role in the earthly life of Jesus recognized their place. John the Baptist put it so well when he spoke of his role in relationship to Jesus “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30). The Apostle Paul puts it very clearly for each of us “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)
All of this helps us realize the very real importance of our Bible verse for this week. We are totally reliant on Jesus and his work, not just for our forgiveness and salvation, but for everything in our lives. Everything we have is a blessing from God and comes to us only because Jesus is our brother and restored our connection to God with his perfect life, innocent death and triumphant resurrection. This is a reminder of the continuing importance and relevance of Easter for our Christian faith and life.
In a world where everyone wants their song to be all about “Me, me, me”, make your song “Jesus, Jesus, only Jesus”!